Collapsible form



ZIOZOIS Fbb.l,l938.

J. C. H.' WENDES COLLAPS IBLE FORM Filed July 18, 1936 INVENTOR. ////1 a 64 Wt:

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLLAPSIBLE 7 FORM Application July 18, 1936, Serial'No. 91,446

7 Claims.

.My invention relates to collapsible forms, and zmore'particularly to collapsible forms for form- ;hollow articles with cross walls by dipping processes. The present invention is particularly useful .in the forming of articles by the desposi- "tion .-:of :solid 100171138111? .of rubber latices.

.In the manufacture of many articles .by a -'deposition process it is customary to immerse :.a;fnrm in :a liquid, withdraw the form, and per- 0 mit the liquid to dry and/or coagulate thereon. .A number :of :methods of so treating rubber :latices, solvated :rubber cements, and the like, arewelkknown and-need-not herein be described. In .such processes rdifiiculty has heretofore been experiencedin withdrawing the form if it is desired to "have a cross wall or crossrib part way across theinterior of the article.

The present invention relates :to collapsible forms in which such cross walls maybe formed during :the deposition of rubber or other ma- --terials derived from solutions. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may also be used in ordinary molding processes where the covering material, usually in a plastic state, such 5 .as rsheet rubber, is shaped around 'a form before it :is-subjected to heat, or other curing processes.

I provide a collapsible form in which a plurality of sections are provided with complementar y r-nesting :edges which collectively, when as- 0 sembled, make the desired outline of the form. Cross ribs between the material on the opposite sidesof the form are formed in spaces occurring between the opposing edgesof the adjacent sections. I-he sections are 'all provided with se- 5 .curing means, preferably in the form of tail .piecesor .fins, groups of which are inserted in separate seating :members. The seating members, in .turn, are held together by any known securing means, preferably a handle, having a 4'0 .readily detachable connection therewith. -When the-handle-is in place,the form is held in its extended -;c0ndition, but upon the removal of the handle fromthe seating members the entire form collapses so that the component parts may be separately withdrawn from the shaped article through theI-handle opening without destroying "the cross wall or walls.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a pres- =ent preferred embodiment of my invention, in cut) which:

55 Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view, partially in section, illustrating the details of the assembly of the form;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the form taken along the section line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the form taken along the section line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. :5 is a cross sectional View of a portion of the form taken along the section line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, a collapsible form 1 comprises a plurality of sections '2 to 9, inclusive, which collectively,when assembled, make a desired shape, herein illustrated as of the general paddle :shape. The intermediate sections 3 to 8, inclusive, are provided with complementary nesting edges which interflt, as is clearly shown inFig. .4. The nesting-is accomplishedby having one edge ill of each section slope outwardly to a peak and the opposite edge has a re-entrant suriace 'H to receiveithepeak in of the adjacent section. The outer sections "2 and 9 are provided with a peak or re-entrant surface, as the case may be, only along their inner edges for engagement withthe edges of the adjacent inner sections. Their outeredges are smooth or rounded to the desired contour of the form. The opposing edges of one or'more of the sections may be separated slightly for a portion of their lengths to form slots 12 extending through the assembled form in which areformed cross ribs i 4 of the sack or article i5 which'is to be shaped on the form. The slots l2 do .not extend tothe extreme curved or outer edge of the form, but

stop short of that edge by a distance sufficient 3;

to secure a firm engagement between the peaks l0 and the re-entrant surfaces ll of the adjacent sections.

The inner ends of "the sections are provided with securing means herein illustrated in the 1 form of thin fiat tail pieces or 'fins 16, which have complementary nesting surfaces l1 and 18. The surfaces l1 and i8 are preferably provided with an acute angle or corner l9so as to be .interlocking and prevent longitudinal withdrawal when assembled. The outer sections 2 and 9 are provided with diverging comers 20 and :21, respectively.

As is particularly showninFig. .2. groups of tail fins 16 are assembled in slots 22 in seating members 24. .Each,slot.22 isopen at the inner end of its seating member, but is closed at the outer end bya-sloping wall 25 which overhangs the sloping corner'ZD or 2!, as the case may be, on one of theouter members 2 or 9 to form a snug engagement. When the nesting section, illustrated as section 8 in Fig. 2, is pushed into nesting engagement with the section 9 and the latter is forced against the wall 25, a snug engagement is established. The tail fins 16 of additional sections are then inserted in the slot 22 until it is filled. Likewise sections are assembled in the other seating member 24. The open ends of the slots 22 are then brought into aligned re1ation.,

For securing the seating members 24, each member is provided with an extension 26. The adjacent faces of the extensions 26 are separated by a slot 21, although the ends of the members 24 at the slots 22 preferably make a tight fit. The extensions 26 are inserted into a socket 28 formed in the end of a handle 29, making a snug fit therewith by reason of the presence of the slot 21. With this construction the entire form is held in its assembled relation by areadily detachable connection of the handle 29 with the extensions 26.

The form so assembled may be immersed in a solution, an example of which is a rubber latex solution, and a coating of the solution deposited thereon. This may be dried and/or coagulated in any suitable manner. The form may be reimmersed for forming additional layers of the same or a different deposit, if desired. During these operations the cross walls M are also formed. If desired, the form may be covered with plastic material, an example of which is unvulcanized sheet rubber, and then subjected to vulcanization.

After the desired shape of the article l5 has been formed, preferably after vulcanization in the case of rubber, the handle 29 is withdrawn'from the extensions 26 and the entire form collapsed. The component parts of the form may then be, worked out through the neck 30 of the article formed by the handle 29. This may be done with-- V out injury to the cross walls or ribs l4.

Accordingly, I have provided a collapsible form which is particularly useful in shaping articles having intermediate connecting walls extending.

for less than the entire dimension of the article. The form is easily assembled and is collapsed by the simple operation of removing the handle'from the extensions of the seating members, thereafter permitting the sections defining the'walls H to be removed through the handle opening without destroying such walls. I

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this invention may otherwise be embodied within the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible form comprising a plurality of separable sections having one or more complementary nesting edges and defining straight slots therebetween, when assembled, each of said sections'having a tail piece, separable complementary seating members each engaging some of the tail pieces, and a common clamping member engaging said seating members with a readily detachable connection for securing'the form in its assembled condition.

2. A collapsible form comprising a plurality of separable elongated sections having one or more complementary nesting edges, at least some of the edges having complementary shapes to define straight slots therebetween, when assembled, a tail piece projecting from one end of each section, clamping means each engaging and holding some of the tail pieces, and a common handle having a readily detachable connection with all of the clamping means for securing the form in its assembled condition.

3. A collapsible form comprising a plurality of separable elongated sections having one or more complementary nesting edges, at least some of the edges having complementary shapes to define straight slots therebetween, when assembled, securing means projecting from one end of each section, clamping means each engaging and holding some of the securing means, and a common handle having a readily detachable connection,

with all of the clamping means for securing the form in its assembled condition.

4. A collapsible form comprising a row of separate sections having complementary nesting edges, each section having a flat fin extending from an end thereof, each of said fins being in alignment and in removably fitted relationship with the fin adjacent to it, complementary seating members positioned normally to the sections, each seating member having a groove and a shoulder engaging aligned fins, and a common clamping member engaging the seating members with a readily detachable connection for securing the form in its assembled condition.

5. A collapsible form comprising a plurality of,

and a shoulder engaging aligned fins, and a common clamping member engaging the seating members with a readily detachable connection for securing the form in its assembled condition.

6. A collapsible form comprising a row of separable sections having complementary nesting edges to retain the faces of saidsections in'the same plane, said edges defining slots therebetween, each section having a fiat fin extending from an end thereof, each of said fins being in alignment and in removably fitted relationship with that finadjacent to it, complementary seating members positioned normally to said sections, each seating member having a groove and a shoulder'engaging aligned fins, and a common clamping member engaging the seating members with a readily detachable connection for securing the form in its assembled condition. I

'7. A collapsible form comprising a row of senarable sections having complementary nesting edges so shaped as to define a plurality of surfaces in intersecting planes, some of which extend internally through the form to define pas-, sageways, each section having a fiat fin extending from an end thereof, each of said fins being in alignment and in removably fitted'relationship with the fin adjacent to it, complementary 

